February 28, 2010

Christian, You Need The Gospel

…now as much as you did when you first believed.

B. B. Warfield puts it aptly:

There is nothing in us or done by us, at any stage of our earthly development, because of which we are acceptable to God. We must always be accepted for Christ’s sake, or we cannot ever be accepted at all. This is not true of us only when we believe. It is just as true after we have believed. It will continue to be trust as long as we live. Our need of Christ does not cease with our believing; nor does the nature of our relation to Him or to God through Him ever alter, no matter what our attainments in Christian graces or our achievements in behavior may be. It is always on His “blood and righteousness” alone that we can rest.

HT: Tullian Tchividjian

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February 15, 2010

Are You Being Served?

When you gather together on the Lord’s Day are you being served or do you come to do the serving? Consider this excerpt from Michael Horton’s Christless Christianity: The Alternative Gospel of the American Church (pp.228-9):

The church has a very narrow commission. It is not called to be an alternative neighbourhood, circle of friends, political action committee, social club, or public service agency; it is called to deliver Christ so clearly and fully that believers are prepared to be salt and light in the worldly stations to which God has called them. Why should a person go through all the trouble of belonging to a church and showing up each Sunday if God is the passive receiver and we are the active giver? It’s like being expected to look forward to Christmas when you are always giving but never receiving any gifts…

When Jesus wrapped a towel around his waist and began washing the disciples’ feet, Peter was confused and asked, “‘Lord, do you wash my feet?’ Jesus answered him, ‘What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand’” (John 13:6-7; emphasis added). Afterward? After what? Jesus is referring to his ultimate act of service at Golgotha, which Peter so often rebuked Jesus for talking about as they were nearing Jerusalem. Peter was ready for action: a coronation or a revolution, but not Jesus’s crucifixtion. True to character, Peter protested, “‘You shall never wash my feet.’ Jesus answered him, ‘If I do not wash you, you have no share with me’” (v.8).

Not only once upon a time, on a hill far away, but each week the Son of God comes to serve us. We may protest. We may think that it is we who need to serve God rather than vice versa. Nevertheless, Jesus tells us as he told Peter that this is actually an insult, a form of pride. We are the ones who need to be bathed, clothed, and fed, not God.

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January 9, 2010

Symington’s Pastoral Heart – An Example to Follow

As I said earlier this week, I’ve been reading William Symington: Penman of the Scottish Covenanters. After discussing Symington’s work, The Atonement and Intercession of Jesus Christ, Blackwood quotes Symington’s clear pastoral concern that one could read his work and only have an intellectual interest in Christ.

“Be it then the concern of all who read these pages, earnestly to seek such an interest in what the Saviour has done and is still doing…Let them not regard [these] as matters of curious speculation, or content themselves with mere doctrinal belief… They must become the subjects of saving faith…

Let not the reader, then, rise from the perusal of these pages, without seriously and conscientiously asking himself these questions: – Am I interested in the atonement and intercession of Jesus Christ? Have I faith in the sacrifice of the great High Priest? Has my soul been sprinkled with His precious blood? Does He plead in my behalf with the Father?… Were I called, at this moment, to recline my head on the pillow of death, could I indulge the comforting assurance that the advocate within the veil…would present on my behalf the request, ‘Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am’ [John 17:24]…? These are solemn questions. Let no one neglect to put them to himself.”

[This quote, although reproduced in the aforementioned book was originally found in Symington, William. The Atonement and Intercession of Jesus Christ (pp. 301-303)]

What an example to follow, not only when academic work is undertaken but even in ministry. Men, don’t deliver lectures this Lord’s Day, rather preach Christ from all the Scriptures!

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December 23, 2009

Christianity = “A Personal Relationship with God”

How many times have you heard a sincere Christian try to explain to an unbeliever that Christianity is all about having “a personal relationship with God”? Well, as sincere as that may be, it is simply not the case and is a distortion of the truth. Michael Horton (I know I’ve already quoted him this week, but this is the problem with reading a good book) aptly puts it this way:

“It is simply not true that unbelievers do not have a personal relationship with God. Paul here in Romans 1 says they do! It is not just that God’s existence can be discerned by his works, but that everyone already knows God – at least as judge. “So they are without excuse” (Rom. 1:20). It is precisely because unbelievers–even professing atheists–do have a personal relationship with God that, as creatures obligated to keep his law, they are under his wrath.”

Quote by Michael Horton, taken from The Gospel-Driven Life (p. 53)

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December 11, 2009

The Canons of Dordt

The Canons of Dordt (often referred to today as the “Five Points of Calvinism”) are expounded and explained by R. Scott Clark in an edition of Tabletalk Magazine from 2008:

Everyone knows the acronym TULIP, but not everyone knows where this acronym comes from. The Canons of Dordt are among the most famous but unread deliverances of any Reformed Synod. The canons are more than five letters. The canons teach a pastoral doctrine of grace and provide a model for the stewardship of the Gospel.

Read The Canons of Dordt by R. Scott Clark

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December 7, 2009

Why Would Anyone Want to be Pelagian or Semi-Pelagian?

I was talking with some men recently and we were discussing Pelagianism and Semi-Pelagianism. One man who had the privilege of growing up his whole life with sound Reformed (Biblical) teaching found it difficult to understand why anyone would want to be a Pelagian or Semi-Pelagian. In light of the amazing gospel of grace it is a fair question and we tossed around several answers. However, last night I listened to Michael Horton on Covenant Radio and I thought he summed it up well:

“We fail to realize that our default setting is Pelagian; that’s what we go back to as a “dog returns to its vomit.” (Pro. 26:11) …that is our human nature. We have to be preached out of Pelagianism every Sunday.”

Preachers, remember this next Lord’s Day and every Lord’s Day. Preach the gospel to your hearers! As Horton said, “[preach them] out of Pelagianism every Sunday.”

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December 2, 2009

Evangelism According to the Book of Acts

Evangelism according to the Book of Acts:

  1. Proclaim the judgment of God on all mankind.
  2. Proclaim the Gospel truth, which is that Christ has fulfilled the Scriptures.
  3. Baptize the many who, convicted of their sin and of the truth of the Gospel, cry out in belief, throwing themselves upon God’s mercy in Christ.

Todd Pedlar suggests the above pattern [adapted from Michael Horton's Gospel-Driven Life (p.93)] and then comments:

Why can’t we do it that simply? If the Word of God is the power of God unto salvation to those who believe, why can’t its simple proclamation (in the whole counsel thereof) be sufficient for us? God cannot be marketed. The Truth simply must be proclaimed, and the results left to God.

I totally agree and look forward to hearing Todd (and Bill) interview Michael Horton later this week on Covenant Radio on the subject of Gospel-Driven Life.

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November 24, 2009

Sermon Evaluation Question

Lee Shelton IV posted this great sermon evaluation question he heard on a recent broadcast of the WhiteHorse Inn:

Whenever you hear someone preach, ask yourself this question: Why did Christ need to suffer and die on a cross in order for this sermon to make sense? And pastors, it wouldn’t hurt for you to ask yourselves the same question.

Now I (and you) should go and listen to the WhiteHorse Inn.

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November 19, 2009

Christ at the Center – Horton Interviewed by Christianity Today

Below is an excerpt from Michael Horton’s latest interview:

But aren’t many churches doing good preaching about how to improve your marriage, transform your life, and serve the poor?

The question is whether this is the Good News. There is nothing wrong with law, but law isn’t gospel. The gospel isn’t “Follow Jesus’ example” or “Transform your life” or “How to raise good children.” The gospel is: Jesus Christ came to save sinners—even bad parents, even lousy followers of Jesus, which we all are on our best days. All of the emphasis falls on “What would Jesus do?” rather than “What has Jesus done?”

via christianitytoday.com

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A Reformed Pastor is a Justified Pastor

Last Summer I began reading Richard Baxter’s The Reformed Pastor. I realise I should have read it long ago, but like many things I just never got around to it. Regrettably, my first attempt failed. I was blessed by what I was reading, but like many things distractions won the battle. Therefore, The Reformed Pastor is on my must read list for this Summer. Despite not having much time today I thought I’d bite into a few pages to wet my appetite again.

Baxter begins by pointing out something that should be obvious; a Reformed pastor is a justified pastor. Well, a Reformed pastor should be a justified pastor. Here is a snippet from Baxter’s exhortation to all those in the ministry and all those training for the ministry:

Believe it, brethren, God never saved any man for being a preacher, nor because he was an able preacher; but because he was a justified, sanctified man, and consequently faithful to his Master’s work. Take heed, therefore, to yourselves first, that you be that which you persuade your hearers to be, and believe that which you persuade them to believe, and heartily entertain that Savior whom you offer to them.

And Baxter continues…

It is a fearful thing to be an unsanctified professor, but much more an unsanctified preacher. Doth it not make you tremble when you open the Bible, lest you should there read the sentence of your own condemnation? When you pen your sermons, little do you think that you are drawing up indictments against your souls! When you are arguing against sin, that you aggravating your own! When you proclaim to your hearers the unsearchable riches of Christ and his grace, that you are publishing your own iniquity in rejecting them, and your unhappiness in being destitute of them!

I’m sure this will be the first of many posts inspired by Baxter’s The Reformed Pastor.

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